Showing posts with label bear tales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bear tales. Show all posts

Saturday, August 11, 2018

Review of "The Hawkman", a Retelling of Grimm's "Bearskin"


“In France and Germany, the protagonist is a veteran, starving for lack of work after the war; in Italy, he is a woodsman, wounded by an accident inherent in his profession.  In Spain, he is a pirate, shipwrecked after a poorly deliberated decision. In all places, he is a man who has lost his faith in God, and makes no secret of his apostasy.”

– Miss Eva Williams, “The Hawkman.”

After finishing Jane Rosenberg LaForge’s The Hawkman, I find myself still enamored by her lyrical prose, sifting through words to determine if what I read had really been written. Surely an ending so powerful could not exist?  Of course, it does.

As a retelling of the lesser known Grimm story Bearskin, here’s a quick summary of the fairy tale for those not already familiar: A desperate man makes a pact with the devil. If he can avoid bathing or praying for seven years and sleeps in a bearskin, then the devil will give him limitless wealth. Instead of the disaster you’d expect from such a bargain, the man’s kindness and generosity ultimately win him a bride and, once the seven years are up, they live happily ever after...except for the bride’s two sisters. Since they originally shunned our hero, they are later so full of regret that they kill themselves, netting the devil two souls and making him feel like the winner of the arrangement. Basically, it’s a monstrous bridegroom story, but steps away from tradition by using the man’s perspective instead of the woman’s.  

LaForge’s novel sets this fairy tale during World War I. Michael is an Irish prisoner of war who has been held in German work camps for years. He is finally coming out the other side, but is a broken shell of a man. He falls into himself, withdrawing from a society that shuns him, until he builds the persona of the Hawkman around himself.  When he first meets Miss Eva Williams, he is more beast than human. She brings him back to her cottage in Bridgetonne, England in hopes of helping him heal. Eva is a professor, an American, a writer, and a believer in the fantastical. Much like the bride from the fairy tale, when she sees the Hawkman, she is able to see the man beneath the creature.

What draws you in - aside from the lyricism of the writing itself - is the idea that this story starts with a death. Though, when you think about it, aren’t the greatest love stories those that are actually tragedies in disguise? Whether it be the lovers themselves, or the villain, or even a friend, we find that love and death are often inextricably entwined. This story’s death forces the reader to backpedal and unpack while gripping our seat the entire time. We hope that maybe things will change or that all is not what it seems.  But, of course, it is.

As the story progresses, its layers are slowly peeled back. The town of Bridgetonne takes on a life of its own, as described by the Hawkman’s first encounter with it:

“Bridgetonne was not without other misfits: old maids who, in an earlier time, might have been mistaken for witches, and bachelors who, likewise, would have been called out as warlocks.  But by no means was the village haunted.”

It soon becomes clear that there is more than one transformation in this novel. The town itself shifts from loathing the Hawkman and fearing his presence--even writing him off as a degenerate due to his heritage and situation--to respecting him and taking him in so that he will always have a home. Of course, as the original fairy tale suggests, the devil does indeed take two souls for himself.  For, even though each person the Hawkman touches is changed, there is always one who will be against him. And as he changes into something more man than not, it is as if his transformation causes a change within Miss Williams. She slowly shifts from caretaker, to friend, to lover, and finally to something more in the end.

This novel is a story of love and of overcoming social norms. It is a story of magical realism, of hope and loss, and a story of overcoming trauma. All this is wrapped tightly into a ball and leveled out into a complete journey filled with pain and joy. But, most importantly, it is a story about two people from different backgrounds finding themselves being pieced together until they fit like perfectly aligned puzzle pieces. And when you zoom out to see how these two pieces connect with the other interlocking elements inside the novel, you’ll see how they form a work of art. Much like a painting, this novel rewards those who take the time to contemplate its brush strokes and hold onto its memory even when you walk away.

For fans of beautifully written fairy tales where the language bleeds magic onto the pages like Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and those who enjoy a heartbreaking story about war and the consequences it has on the human soul, The Hawkman will be sure to capture and enrapture, and, when it is done, leave you craving more.



Laura Lavelle is a writer from Queens, New York, working in the genres of fantasy, horror, and science fiction with young and new adult themes.  She studied English at Queens College where she won a Silverstein-Peiser award in Fiction before graduating with her bachelor’s degree. However, when she’s not writing she can be found curled up with a book and a cat, hoping that something magical will happen.








Sunday, July 12, 2015

Comic Con Reveal: Merida Is Coming to OUAT (& a link to a Dark Swan preview)

So at Comic Con* this year are a number of fairy tale-pertinent events, including anything to do with Grimm, whatever Disney and Pixar are doing with tales, lots of smaller indie events (no Fables this year unfortunately, now the series is wrapped, and no news of a Fables movie update from Warner Bros... yet!) and, of course, Once Upon A Time.

The OUAT creators released a promo video Saturday, which unfortunately doesn't tell us much other than who it is (and that her costume is exactly the same as in the movie). I don't see any story set-up in there yet, but for most people, just knowing Merida is set to appear in the world of Once Upon A Time, is news enough.
Yep, Once Upon a Time meets Brave's Princess Merida next season. Now that we've seen her, we can't wait to hear that Scottish accent! And yes, the actress is Scottish. That's Amy Manson, who you may recognize from TorchwoodBeing Human and Atlantis. (source)
Take a look:
I think it's been expected for a while and there's a lot of potential for some interesting story lines (transformed bear people and wisps please! Let's get some more classic fairy tale tropes back in there please..).

I have to say I'm disappointed this Merida isn't more robust, although I'm ridiculously glad she's Scottish! We have yet to see her in real action so I'm hoping for the best. I do like that she doesn't appear to be in that OUAT age range of mid-thirties, for something different. (It's like there's a time warp there! Mid-thirties is a great age, but not when EVERYBODY is the same age, barring Granny, Rumple and Grumpy!)

Anyway, lots of speculation from here on out and wish lists getting scribbled in a frenzy by fans as I type...

More updates from Comic Con as they appear (and as I have access to get them to you)...

Oh yes: and if you're curious about Dark Swan Emma, you can see a preview scene HERE.


* In case you're not aware, the annual San Diego Comic Con is currently happening and has grown from indie comic artists and toys to be one of the largest pop culture, comic convention and entertainment events in the US. It's that time of year where any (genre) TV series sends their fan favorite actors and crew to chat on panels, tease spoilers of the coming season and release exclusive clips, interviews, behind-the-scenes and (of course) merchandise. If you love movies, fantasy, sci-fi, comics, pop-culture, illustration, animation and art, this is the place to be - and to geek out and cosplay to your heart's content. (It's also incredibly crowded and hot but for many people it's worth it and a fantastic and fun experience.) 

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Bear and Bird and Other Fairy Tale Work of Allison Reimold

This also caught my eye recently - a new work by the incredibly talented  Allison Reimold for Bear and Bird Boutique and Gallery. It appears this work was commissioned for the boutique in addition to the gallery and will be available as a t-shirt (take note!).

I thought the piece had an instant fairy tale feel (obviously Snow White & Rose Red spring to mind but so do a number of other bear-based fairy tales). If you look around the Bear and Bird site you'll see more renderings of bears, birds and girls and, not surprisingly, a lot of them have a fairy tale quality to them, even with the huge range of styles used.

You can find the blog HERE (where you can see a working sketch if the image posted here) and the gallery HERE.
BUT WAIT!
Seven Ravens by Allison Reimold

You must, must, must visit Allison Reimold's website & gallery to see a LOT more less common fairy tale based pieces! She's created gorgeous paintings based on Seven Ravens, The Flower Queen's Daughter, The Tiger's Bride, Brother and Sister, The Girl with Silver Hands, The Flower Princess, The Three Witches and The Dragon Hunter* (you can see much larger versions HERE on the Behance Network) and there is a LOT more mythic work on her blog HERE.

Brother and Sister by Allison Reimold

I'm seriously hoping she's illustrating a book of fairy tales that will be available for purchase but I can't find any information on such a project as yet although there appear to be prints for sale HERE. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :)

*Note: Apart from the film, I'm not familiar with a fairy tale called The Dragon Hunter. It doesn't appear to be based on St. George either. If anyone digs anything up feel free to share in a comment. :)